1875 in animation explained

Events in 1875 in animation.

Events

• Specific date unknown:
  • In 1875, the physiologist Sigmund Exner showed that, under the right conditions, people will see two quick, spatially separated but stationary electrical sparks as a single light moving from place to place, while quicker flashes were interpreted as motion between two stationary lights. Exner argued that the impression of the moving light was a perception (from a mental process) of the motion between the stationary lights as pure sense.^[1] This is an explanation of the optical illusion of illusory motion known as the beta movement. The illusion of motion caused by animation and film is sometimes believed to rely on beta movement, as an alternative to the older explanation known as persistence of vision.^[2]
  • The French astronomer Pierre Janssen introduces the chronophotography instrument Janssen revolver to the Société Francaise de Photographie. ^{[3] [4]} Etienne-Jules Marey would later use Janssen's invention as the primary inspiration for his chronophotographic gun (1882), a precursor to the camcorder.The functioning of the chronophotographic gun is very similar to a normal rifle, with grip, canon and rotating drum, except that it does not carry bullets but photographic plates with which it caught the light at high speed.^{[5] [6]}

Births

January

• January 5: J. Stuart Blackton, British-American silent film producer and director (co-founder of the film studio Vitagraph Studios, one of the first filmmakers to use the techniques of stop-motion and drawn animation, considered a father of American animation, directed the animated films The Enchanted Drawing, Humorous Phases of Funny Faces, The Haunted Hotel, and The Humpty Dumpty Circus), (d. 1941).^{[7] [8] [9]}
• January 21: Paul E. Kahle, German orientalist, (discovered leather puppets near Damietta, Egypt which were used in medieval shadow plays, one of the precursors of silhouette animation), (d. 1964).^{[10] [11] [12] [13]}

June

• June 4: Albert E. Smith, English-American film director, film producer, and stage magician, (co-founder of the film studio Vitagraph Studios, producer of the animated short film The Humpty Dumpty Circus), (d. 1958).^{[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]}

Notes and References

1. Sigmund. Exner. Über das Sehen von Bewegungen und die Theorie des zusammengesetzten Auges in . Sitzungsberichte der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Classe der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. V.71-72. 1875. 363. 2020-12-12. HathiTrust. en.
2. The Myth of Persistence of Vision Revisited . Anderson, Joseph . Anderson, Barbara . 1993 . Journal of Film and Video . 45 . 1 . 3–12 . 20687993.
3. Web site: Revolver fotográfico IDIS. proyectoidis.org. en-US. 2018-11-30.
4. Book: Herbert, Stephen. Who's Who of Victorian Cinema. British Film Institute. 1996.
5. Web site: Étienne Jules Marey . 28 June 2024.
6. Web site: Rifle fotográfico. 9 September 2008.
7. News: Blackton, Pioneer In Movies, Dies, 66. Ex-Commodore of Atlantic Yacht Club Here. Is Victim of Auto Accident. A Founder Of Vitagraph. Producer of 'Black Diamond Express' Thriller. Began as Marine Artist . . August 14, 1941 . 2014-12-06 .
8. News: Variety. Commodore Blackton, Who Went from Riches to Relief, Dies at 66. August 20, 1941. 4.
9. Web site: J. Stuart Blackton's Condition Is Critical . Motion Picture Daily . 13 August 1941 . 3 September 2014.
10. Kahle, Paul. “The Arabic Shadow Play in Egypt.” The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, no. 1, 1940, pp. 21–34. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25221591. Accessed 10 Mar. 2023.
11. Milwright, Marcus. “ON THE DATE OF PAUL KAHLE’S EGYPTIAN SHADOW PUPPETS.” Muqarnas, vol. 28, 2011, pp. 43–68. JSTOR website Retrieved 10 Mar. 2023.
12. Black, Matthew. Matthew Black. Paul Ernst Kahle, 1875–1965. Proceedings of the British Academy. 1966. 51. 485–495.
13. Book: Jouvanceau, Pierre . The Silhouette Film . trans. Kitson . 2004 . Pagine di Chiavari . Le Mani . . 88-8012-299-1 .
14. News: Albert Smith, 83, Film Pioneer, Dies. Inventor of Vitagraph Was Co-Founder of Firm That Achieved Early Success . Albert E. Smith, a pioneer of the film industry, died last night in his home. ... . . 3 August 1958 . 2014-12-06 .
15. Web site: Albert Edward Smith. McKernan. Luke. Who's Who of Victorian Cinema. 9 December 2013.
16. Ken A. Priebe, The Art of Stop-Motion Animation, Boston, Massachusetts: Thomson Course Technology PTR, 2007,, p. 9
17. Nichola Dobson, The A to Z of Animation and Cartoons, Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow, 2009,, p. xxiv
18. Book: Emile Cohl, Caricature, and Film. 9781400860715. Crafton. Donald. 2014-07-14.
19. Book: Puppetry, Puppet Animation and the Digital Age. 9781351209298. Giesen. Rolf. 2018-09-27.